1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvements in algorithms and associated methods for operating a telecommunications system in which a message is generated during a ringing or ring-back signal period, at least until such time as the recipient telephone is unhooked or answered, and more particularly, to an algorithm and associated method which allow for the generation and presentation of promotional or advertising messages, or other messages specifically addressed to the caller or a recipient, or both, during a normal ringing cycle in a telephone system.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
In most telephone systems throughout the world, initiation of a telephone call is achieved by a caller introducing a dialing signal through actuation of a rotary dialer or a push-button tone generator at his or telephone and that dial tone or voltage is then used and/or received by a telephone switching station, e.g., the caller's switching station, which selects the telephone corresponding to a dialed or inserted telephone number. Thus, if a caller dials a certain telephone number, the switching station automatically sends that telephone call to that certain telephone number. At that point in time, a ringing signal is generated, which is a signal other than a voice communication signal, and is effectively initiated by the telephone switching station.
The ringing signal causes the telephone at a particular location to generate a telephone advisory message which is usually audible (or visual in the case of telephones for the hearing impaired), so that the recipient knows that a caller is waiting to communicate with the recipient. The vast majority of telecommunication systems which are presently in operation, and particularly public and private telephone systems, use some type of ringing signal to inform a receiver or recipient of an intended message that a caller is attempting to access the recipient of the telephone call. Thus, if a telephone communication is initiated to a particular residence, the telephone in the occupants of that residence will hear a ringing signal advising the occupants of the intended call. When the recipient picks up the telephone handset or effectively unhooks the telephone, a message path is completed.
Although a ringing signal is generated at the residence or other location to which the telephone call is directed, a similar ringing signal, referred to as a “ring-back” signal, is heard also in the telephone of the caller. This is accomplished again, through a telephone switching station associated with that caller, or otherwise, the recipient's telephone switching station, so that the caller may hear that ring-back signal, which mimics the ringing signal and recognize that the telephone of the intended recipient is also ringing.
There is, by telephone system design, a delay which arises between the completion of a dialing process and the initiation of a first ring of a ringing sequence. Although that time period may be short, perhaps no more than four to six seconds, depending upon the particular telephone system, that time is merely a wasted time period in which the caller must await an initiation of a ringing signal. However, most callers immediately become accustomed to the fact that there is a time delay, and hence this time delay is expected with little or no consideration being given to that delay. In addition to the foregoing, most telephone systems also use a quiescent time period between each of the ringing signals in a ringing signal sequence. Thus, a fair interval of time exists between the initiation of a telephone call and the actual time that a recipient answers that telephone call by unhooking or activating his or her telephone system.
In our aforesaid U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/121,626 filed Apr. 11, 2002, for Telecommunication System Using Message Presentation During a Ringing Signal Period, there was presented an entire hardware system for allowing the substitution of, or at least the interposition of, a message during the normal ringing cycle period, or so-called “quiescent period”. Inasmuch as the normal telephone systems, and for that matter, the hardware associated with these telephone systems which allow for message presentation, is computer or processor operated, it is necessary to provide a software based algorithm for operation of that computer or processor. The hardware in the aforesaid utility patent application, along with the operating algorithm described herein, allows for the presentation of an advertising or promotional message, or for that matter, other message, targeted to, that is, limited to, the caller or the recipient, or both, during an entire ringing cycle, or otherwise, a portion of that ringing cycle.
It can be observed, in accordance with the invention, that the delivery of a message to, for example, a calling party or so-called “caller”, is particularly advantageous for an organization which is contacted by that caller, and where the organization wishes to present or promote its products or services via telephone advertising or promotion. Nevertheless, and while the system of the invention and the associated software based algorithm and method, is directed to largely presenting the advertising or promotional message to the callers, it is also possible to direct that message to the party being called, or so-called “recipient”, or otherwise, to both parties.
It can be recognized that the generation of a message, in the nature of an advertising or promotional message, can be advantageous for a consumer in that information about a product or service can be given during that ringing signal period. Moreover, use of this system can result in lower cost telephone service for the consumer attempting to initiate contact with a business organization.
The concept of applying an advertising or promotional message to a telephone communication link has been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,382 dated Mar. 7, 1989, to Neal Sleevi. The Sleevi patent, however, is specifically limited to a land based or so-called hard-wired network and does not include more modern forms of telecommunication which have become available since the time of the Sleevi patent. Moreover, Sleevi did not envision the selective selection of messages depending upon a particular caller and which selected message was designed to conform to or meet the purchasing information or other criteria of a particular customer. Thus, Sleevi was deficient in this regard, as well as in other areas.
U.S. patent application Publication No. US 2001/0051517 A1, published on Dec. 13, 2001, to Jonathan Streitzel identifies a telecommunications advertising system in which advertising or promotional data is not limited only to a land based system, but also includes a wireless or cellular communication system. However, the Streitzel publication based on U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/753,415, filed Jan. 2, 2001, similarly suffers a number of disadvantages. Although Streitzel does provide for advertising and promotional messages used in a cellular communication, it does so with several limitations not necessarily overcome by the Sleevi patent.
There are also several commercially operating telephone companies forming part of the Bell system, which generate messages before the ringing signal. Thus, for example, the telephone organization may offer a message to the effect that this telephone call is brought by “Coastal Bell”. However, that message is generated with the use of a time delay before the actual ringing signal is initiated. In effect, it does not replace any or a portion of the ring-back signal, or for that matter, the ringing signal.
In each of the aforesaid Sleevi patent, and aforesaid publication to Jonathan Streitzel, there is no algorithm or software proposed for operating the telephone system. Thus, Streitzel and Sleevi both propose hardware based systems, but no software to operate those systems. As indicated previously, inasmuch as all modern telephone systems are now computer or processor operated, it is necessary to employ software based processors or computers in conjunction with the substitution of, or the interposition of, a message during a ringing signal.
In addition to the foregoing, neither of the aforesaid Sleevi patent or the publication of Streitzel, provided for any capability of continuously changing that message or for updating a message, or for that matter, even generating new messages without contacting the telephone switching station. In addition, neither provided for a software based system in which a message could be generated directly from the telephone itself, such as a cellular telephone, without the need for the telephone company switching station. In effect, a subscriber company which provides for the use of an advertising or promotional message, could use its own PBX or other system to provide the switching and for the generation of the message directly at the telephone of a user. In this way, messages could be continuously updated via wireless signals.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a software based algorithm for operation of a telecommunication system in which an advertising or promotional message could be generated over a telephone communication link and delivered in the time between or in place of a ringing signal sequence.